Dispensing valves



Jan. 29, 1957 J- W. SOFFER DISPENSING VALVES Filed June 14, 1954 INVENTOR JACK W. SOFFER United States Patent DISPENSING VALVES Jack W. Sofler, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to Development Research, Inc., St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application June 14, 1954, Serial No. 436,621

Claims. (Cl. 222-394) This invention relates to improvements in dispensing valves having resilient mounting seals, and particularly to the type employed in single-use disposable gas-pressure containers whose contents are discharged by tilting a rigid tubular discharge stem mounted in such a seal.

The purposes of the present invention include: the provision of a seal adapted for use with liquid compositions which, when under pressure, tend to escape past ordinary seals; to make such single-use containers substantially leak-proof while dispensing such products under pressure, regardless of the degree of tilt of the dispensing stem; and to provide such a leak-proof valve which is simple in its organization and may be readily assembled and operated without any tendency of the valve stem to be restrained in open or partly-open position.

In its general organization, the present invention presents certain improvements over the invention disclosed in my application Serial No. 365,675, filed July 2, 1953, entitled, Beaded Stem Dispensing Valve for Gas Pressure Containers, which is intended for use on similar containers.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is an enlarged sectional view of a seal representing a preferred embodiment of the present invention, shown before assembly with a container and dispensing spout.

Figure 2 is a sectional view, constructed to a smaller scale, of such preferred sealing member mounted in place in a container top and itself mounting a dispensing stem of a preferred type.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but to larger scale, showing the valve of Figure 2 tilted to open position.

Figure 4 is a sectional view of a sealing member embodying a modified form of the present invention.

Figure 5 is a sectional view similar to Figure 3, showing the modified embodiment of Figure 4 mounting a modified form of dispensing stem tilted to dispensing position.

Referring now to the drawings by reference characters, the present invention is especially well adapted for use with a low-pressure metal container designated a and illustrated in Figure 2, having crimped thereon a top or mounting cup 12. Other types of containers, such as cans having ordinary seamed tops, may also be used. The mounting cup b has a flat upper wall 1 with a central aperture 2, rimmed by an outwardly-turned aperture flange 3.

In order to mount a tiltable valve member, hereinafter described, in the aperture 2 of the upper wall 1, I provide a resilient mounting seal generally designated 4, preferably formed by molding rubber or rubber-like material to the shape shown and described. The resilient mounting seal 4 is shown, somewhat enlarged, in the cross-sectional view Figure 1, illustrating its preferred shape and contour when the material is relaxed; that is, before mounting to the upper wall 1 and inserting such a valve member. Referring to Figure 1, the seal 4 in- 2,779,516 Patented Jan. 29, 1957 "ice cludes a body portion 5 having the general shape of a thick annulus with an extended upper sealing face 6, which is preferably cupped prior to assembly, subject to being flattened on assembly as shown in the other views. The upper sealing face has a thin, flexible, unsecured peripheral edge 7, which aids it in adhering sealedly to the inner surface of the upper wall 1 during the tilting of a valve member mounted in the seal 4. At the lower or inner side of the seal 4 is an annular face herein designated the valve seat 8, from which a tapered central passage 9 leads upward and outward.

Protruding inward into the central passage 9, at a level approximately that of the upper sealing face 6, is a constricting girdle 10, integrally molded. The thickness of the girdle 10 may vary with the particular application; for soapy foams it has been found that a thickness of the order of .015" works very satisfactorily in conjunction with a valve stem of a diameter of approximately .25". The depth of the girdle 10 should be no greater, and preferably less, than the diameter of the central passage 9, in order to obtain a sufficient concentration of tension to seal tightly. Also it is important that some portion of the depth of such girdle shall extend below the level of the upper sealing face 6.

Extending upward from the sealing face 6 for insertion through the aperture flange 3 is a tubular sealing sleeve portion 11 of the mounting seal 4. The sealing sleeve 11 has an outer diameter adapted for close scaling fit Within the aperture flange 3, and an inner diameter suited for a somewhat loose but nonetheless sealing fit against the outer wall of a dispensing valve stem, hereinafter described. The fit of the respective members when the valve is in untilted position, is illustrated in Figure 2, which will now be referred to.

I insert upward through the tapered central passage 9, constricting girdle 10, and tubular sealing sleeve 11, a rigid valving spout generally designated 12, whose por tions include: a substantially cylindrical, smooth-walled tubular stem 13 whose outer diameter is greater than the inner diameter of the constricting girdle l0 and nearly the same as the inner diameter of the sealing sleeve 11; a valve head 14 at the inner end of the stem 13, which closes against the valve seat portion S; lateral stem ports 15 penetrating the stem 13 adjacent the head 14; and an outer or dispensing tip 16. The valving spout i2 is preferably molded of some relatively rigid plastic material, so that finger pressure applied sideward to the stem 13 below the tip 16 will tilt the entire member in the mounting seal 4, as shown in Figure 3.

Molded as part of the stem 13 and extending annularly outward therefrom is a bead i, whose outer diameter is less than the inner diameter of the aperture flange 3. The bead 17 is located on the stem 13 at a level which will be somewhat outward of the upper edge of the aperture flange 3 when the members are assembled as in Figure 2.

The sealing sleeve 11 of the resilient mounting seal 4 extends upward somewhat beyond the head 17 and is distended outwardly thereby. This causes a certain amount of hoop tension in the sleeve ill, which increases its tight sealing engagement against the stem 13. However, the sleeve 11 is thin, as compared with the body 5 of the seal 4; and the outer seal around the bead 17, which it provides, is not so tight as the inner seal effected by the engagement of the girdle it) against the stem 13 beneath the container upper wall 1.

Below the dispensing tip 16, and outwardly of the bead 17, the valve stem 13 is provided with an external, inward-facing shoulder 18, against which presses the outer end of a volute spring 19, held in compression between said shoulder 18 and the outer surface of the upper wall 1 of the container. The spring 19 serves to restore the 3 valving spout 12 to erect, closed position if it is tilted or depressed axially.

It is obvious that by minor modifications, such a valve may be adapted to dispense sprays as well as foams. Likewise, it may be attached to other types of containers, including glass and plastic pressure-bottles.

It has been mentioned that the objects of the present invention include leakproof operation as well as avoiding any tendency to hold the valve stem in open or partlyopen position. If the drawings herein be contrasted with those in my pending application Serial No. 365,675, hereinabove referred to, it will be noted that in the prior application I provided, instead of the girdle 10, a bead on the portion of the valve stem within the body portion of the sealing member there shown. I also provided a step in the central passage of the body portion, instead of the taper shown herein.

The present structure effects improvements making for increased certainty that the operation of the valve will be leakproof. Although the valving spout 12 may be tilted to a far greater extent than is depicted in Figure 3, it is apparent that the girdle 10 will not tilt, but the cylindrical wall of the tubular stem 13 will tend to slide within it. The continuing hoop tension force in the body of the mounting seal 4 provides tight sealing contact around the stem to a greater extent than my earlier structure could. In the absence of an inner bead, such as is shown in my said pending application, the bead 17 of the present structure, being situated outward of the upper edge of the aperture flange 3, serves in part to return the spout 12 to erect, closed position; because when tilted or axially depressed it tends to compress the resilient material of the sleeve 11 against the upper edge of flange 3. This may be noted from an examination of Figure 3.

While the girdle will function without the aid of the bead l7 distending the sealing sleeve 11, combining them results in a highly effective double seal, on both sides of the upper wall 1. For use with products which tend to escape through ordinary seals, this preferred embodiment has been found to give unexpectedly good results, without adding any complications to the valve assembly procedure.

An alternate embodiment of the present invention is shown in section in Figures 4 and 5, whose relation to the previously described illustrations will be obvious. this alternate embodiment, I employ an alternate valve spout generally designated 20, having a tubular stem 21 whose outer wall has no external bead, the alternate valve spout being in other respects identical with the valve spout l2 heretofore described. Further, I employ an alternate mounting seal 22 which is generally similar to the resilient mounting seal 4 heretofore described.

The alternate mounting seal 22 has a body portion 23 with a tapered central passage 24, which passage terminates inwardly adjacent the upper margin of the body portion 23 in a constricting gridle 25. The alternate mounting seal 22 likewise includes a sealing sleeve 26 similar to the sealing sleeve 11 of the first described mounting seal 4. except that its inner diameter is constricted adjacent the outer end by a sleeve gridle 27, being an inwardly thickened portion of the sleeve 26. The sleeve girdle 27 is generally similar in proportions to the constricting girdle 25, but inasmuch as it is located near the outer end of the sealing sleeve 26, it does not have any substantial amount of material outside it to apply to it a strong hoop tension force, such as the body 23 applies to the constricting girdle 25.

The use of the constricting girdles 10 and within the body portions 5, 23 of the seals makes possible a tightly sealed mounting of a rigid valve stem, the seal being tightest immediately outward of the passage through which the container contents must flow in order to enter the stem ports, such as the lateral ports 15. The tight sealing at this point makes feasible a looser fit of the sleeves 11, 26. This results in lesser friction on relative axial movement which permits easy assembly of the valve structure and increased assurance of proper operation. The second area in which relatively tight seal takes place is a ring-like area inward of the outer end of the seal sleeve. The sleeve gridle 27 of the second embodiment thus supplies one of the functions which in the first embodiment is filled by the stem bead 17.

The invention is capable of various other modifications. Accordingly this specification and the claims hereof should not be construed narrowly, but rather as fully coextensive with the inventive principles herein disclosed.

I claim:

1. A dispensing valve for gas-pressure containers, comprising a container wall portion having a circular aperture, a sealing member formed of resilient material having a tubular sleeve portion extending through said aperture, the outer surface of said sleeve portion being in close sealing contact against the inner wall of said aperture, the sealing member further having a radially-enlarged body portion at the inner end of the sleeve portion, said body portion having at its inner side a valve seat portion, the said body portion further having a central passage extending from the valve seat portion outward to enter into the sleeve portion, the said body portion further having a girdle extending inward into said central passage at the juncture with said sleeve portion and forming a constriction at a level inward of the container wall, together with a tiltable tubular rigid valve member having a stern protruding through said central passage, girdle and sleeve portions, a stem port and an impert'orate head adapted to close against said valve seat portion, the stem wall being smoothly cylindrical in the region encompassed by the girdle and having a diameter greater than that of the opening in the girdle prior to insertion of the stem therethrough whereby tensile force set up in the body portion on the insertion of said stem seals it at a level inward of such aperture.

2. A dispensing valve as described in claim I, the sealing member having a second integral girdle extending inward within the sealing sleeve at a level outward of such wall aperture and forming an annular constriction in said sleeve.

3. A dispensing valve as described in claim 1, the valve stem having a protruding annular bead formed on its outer wall at a level outward of said wall aperture.

4. A dispensing valve for gas-pressure containers, comprising a tiltable tubular dispensing spout having at its outer end a dispensing opening, having at its inner end a valve head, and having a smoothly cylindrical wall portion intermediate the dispensing opening and head, in combination with a resilient tubular sealing member adapted to mount the dispensing spout within a wall of such container and having a bore of suflicient diameter to encompass and accommodate the cylindrical wall portion, the bore having a protruding integral constricting girdle bearing graspingly around the stem cylindrical wall portion for part of its depth, and adapted to maintain surface contact around some part of the cylindrical wall portion regardless of degree of tilt of the spout.

5. A dispensing valve for gas-pressure containers, comprising the combination defined in claim 4, the sealing member having an annularly enlarged integral body portion at the level of the constricting girdle, the grasping force of the girdle being increased by the elasticity of the enlarged body portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 576,702 True Feb. 9, 1897 2,615,597 Tomasek et al Oct. 28, 1952 2,621,014 Efford Dec. 9, 1952 2,686,652 Carlson et al Aug. 17, 1954 

